A Texas man arrested after tossing a chair and beer bottles from the 16th floor balcony at the W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale was found naked in his room with a bag of cocaine, authorities said.
Austin Ragans, 33, was arrested at the hotel Tuesday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, possession of cocaine and criminal mischief, according to Broward County jail and court records.
Ragans, from Woodlands, Texas, was released on $28,600 bond Tuesday after appearing in court before Judge John Hurley. It was unknown if he has an attorney.
According to the arrest report read by Hurley, the chair Ragans threw hit hotel employee Rodney Moore, who happened to be walking on the driveway below when he was struck.
Moore was taken to a nearby hospital. Fort Lauderdale Police said the injuries weren't serious.
"These are unusual alleged facts here," Hurley told Ragans, the owner of a medical device distributing company who said he was visiting Fort Lauderdale for a couple days.
According to Hurley, Ragans, who was staying in room 1620, had been asked to leave the hotel's bar area earlier in the night. After the beer bottles and chair were thrown, hotel staff went to his room and knocked on the door.
When Ragans opened the door, he was completely naked and alone, and his room's chair was missing, Hurley said. There was glass on the bathroom floor and a baggie containing a white powdery substance was in plain view on a counter, Hurley said.
The powder later tested positive for cocaine, Hurley said.
Hurley estimated the chair had traveled about 160 feet from the balcony to the ground.
"You're fortunate that Mr. Moore's neck wasn't snapped and you weren't here on a manslaughter charge," Hurley said.
Ragans, who has previous arrests in Florida, Texas and Arizona, including two DUI convictions, was ordered by Hurley not to drink while his case is active.
Hurley also allowed Ragans to return to the hotel after his release to get his belongings but ordered him not to return.
